Accessibility statement
We want everyone to be able to compare these programmes. This statement says which standard the site is built to, how its data-heavy components behave with a keyboard, a screen reader or magnification, what we know is not yet right, and how to tell us about a barrier.
Standard
The site is designed to meet WCAG 2.2 at level AA. Text colours meet the 4.5:1 contrast ratio on their backgrounds (the raw teal accent is never used for text on white; a darker tint is). Every page has one heading level 1, a logical heading order, a skip link, visible focus styles and a self-describing title. Content reflows to a single column at 320 pixels wide and remains usable at 400 per cent zoom; the programme table scrolls inside its own container rather than the page.
The data components
| Component | Keyboard | Screen reader | Without JavaScript |
|---|---|---|---|
| Programme table | Column headers are buttons; Enter toggles sort. Row checkboxes are native inputs. | Caption, column headers and aria-sort are set; a polite live region announces "n of 56 programmes shown" after each filter. | Full table renders server-side; sidebar quick filters and sector pages replace the chips. |
| Filter chips | Native buttons with aria-pressed; the sector control is a native select. | Grouped with role="group" and a label per group. | Inactive; a note says so and points to server-side alternatives. |
| Compare tray | Toggle, clear and remove are buttons; Escape is not required to leave it. | Landmark with a label; count and additions announced through a live region. | Not shown; the /compare page provides the same comparison as a form. |
| Sidebar navigation (mobile) | Menu button, Escape closes, focus moves into and back out of the drawer. | aria-expanded and aria-controls on the button; current page marked. | Drawer is always available below the top bar. |
| Enquiry form | Native controls, logical order, honeypot removed from the tab sequence. | Every field labelled; errors listed in an alert and repeated beside the field. | Submits and validates server-side. |
Motion and typography
Animations are limited to short transitions and are removed when the operating system requests reduced motion. Fonts are self-hosted and fall back to system faces if they fail to load; nothing depends on an icon font. Monospace is used for numbers and codes so that digits align, and it is a presentational choice with no meaning that is not also in the text.
Known issues
- The specification documents linked from programme pages are PDFs published by the awarding bodies; their accessibility varies and is outside our control. Ask us if you need a figure from one read out.
- Image slots are currently placeholders with descriptive labels; when photographs are supplied (by LSPM, for its premises) they will carry alternative text we write.
- On very narrow screens the compare table on /compare requires horizontal scrolling within its container.
Testing
Checked at 360, 768, 1024 and 1440 pixel widths with keyboard-only navigation, browser zoom to 400 per cent, and a screen reader on desktop and mobile. Automated checks run against each release; manual checks are repeated at each term's review.
Report a barrier
Use the enquiry form and tell us the page, what you were trying to do and the assistive technology you use. We reply within two working days and aim to fix content problems within ten working days. If you are unhappy with our response, the complaints procedure applies. The Equality and Human Rights Commission enforces accessibility regulations in Great Britain; the Equality Advisory and Support Service can advise you.